Annexes to COM(2011)572 - Partnering in Research and Innovation - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2011)572 - Partnering in Research and Innovation. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2011)572  |
| date | September 21, 2011 |
– Dedicated legal structures set up under Article 187 TFEU on the basis of a long-term trust-based approach. These will represent a simplification of the set-up procedures for the existing JTIs in that they will be based on a "light" EU public body structure. The feasibility of this option depends on acceptance by the European Parliament and Council of the Commission's proposal for "PPP body" status implemented under Article 201 of the proposed new Financial Regulation[8]. It must also be recognised that there is a trade-off between simplification through harmonisation of structures and the degree of flexibility to adapt structures to the specific needs of individual JTIs.
3.1.7. It will be important to ensure coordination at national and regional level between partnering initiatives and innovation strategies for smart specialisation under Cohesion policy. 3.2. Implementation/Funding
P2Ps
3.2.1. The Commission proposes to simplify instruments supporting public-public partnering by merging existing ERA-NET and ERA-NET Plus actions, as well as relevant elements of Europe INNOVA and PRO INNO Europe, to form a single, more flexible ERA-NET instrument. 3.2.2. Commitment of participating countries to the three levels of integration (scientific, management and financial) will be an essential pre-condition for future proposals for Article 185 Initiatives. With regard to financial integration, participating countries must go further in making firm commitments of resources to joint programmes, such as by including these in their national planning, on the basis of common rules that provide for the participation of that country. 3.2.3. The Commission will support JPIs during the development of their Strategic Research Agendas through co-ordination and support measures, where appropriate. 3.2.4. Where the areas being addressed by JPI fit with FP priorities, their instruments may be used to support JPIs where appropriate. In general, JPI joint actions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to assess whether the EU value-added justifies funding via the ERA-NET scheme or co-funding via thematic research calls. 3.2.5. The Commission will only consider making a proposal for an Article 185 Initiative where a JPI has demonstrated in its Strategic Research Agenda that it has the capacity for significant collaboration and the necessary scale and scope to support full integration of national programmes. 3.2.6. All relevant national programmes must be taken into account in the implementation of a JPI. Accordingly, programme owners and programme managers from participating countries must be part of the management of JPIs. In this way, opportunities to build on existing experience with joint programmes can also be capitalised on.
PPPs
3.2.7. Given the scale of investment in PPPs and that the contribution of industry to PPPs is generally in-kind, transparent accounting methods are needed to measure industry contribution effectively. 3.2.8. Key selection criteria for PPPs should include scale of EU level impact, long-term commitment of partners and leverage effect on R&I investments. 3.2.9. For PPPs to achieve their goals, they must operate in an open and transparent set-up (no "closed shops"). 3.3. Framework Conditions
P2Ps
3.3.1. The Voluntary Guidelines on Framework Conditions for Joint Programming provide a flexible catalogue of good practices to support implementation of JPIs. EU funding for a JPI will be conditional on appropriate application of the Voluntary Guidelines[9]. 3.3.2. If Joint Programming is to be effective in building strong, long-term public research partnerships, bottlenecks such as cross-border funding, knowledge circulation, ex-ante and ex-post evaluation must be overcome. The Commission will ensure that the ERA Framework addresses these obstacles as a priority.
PPPs
3.3.3. It is essential that Member States participating in PPPs harmonise and synchronise their administrative processes. 4. Next Steps
The Commission's proposal for "Horizon 2020"[10] will build on the steps set out in this Communication, providing a legislative basis for future EU P2Ps and PPPs in R&I. This should also provide a common set of rules for all initiatives supported under "Horizon 2020" in order to simplify participation, while leaving the necessary flexibility for individual initiatives to achieve their objectives, as well as ensure complementarity between the two Common Strategic Frameworks, for Research and Innovation and for Cohesion.
As we gain more experience with implementation of the partnering concepts and instruments developed under FP7, the Commission will launch a strategic exercise to determine where and how the partnering approach can be applied most successfully and the types of initiative to which the instruments are best suited.
As a first step, the Commission intends to establish benchmarks against which to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of initiatives developed using the partnering concepts and instruments.
[1] Conclusions of the European Council, 24/25 March 2011
[2] COM(2010) 546
[3] Decision no 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013)
[4] Decision no 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007 to 2013)
[5] COM(2010) 546 of 06.10.2010
[6] SEC(2011) 1028, 01.09.2011
[7] ERAC Opinion on ERA-related instruments, ERAC 1208/11, 26 May 2011
[8] COM(2010)815
[9] Council Conclusions on Joint Programming in research of 26 November 2010
[10] Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)